Walking Dead: Country Corn
by Baxley
Summary: Daryl comes out of the mountains and is forced to hide in a field of corn to escape both the living and the dead. While there he meets an uncertain couple and their lives are forever connected.


COUNTRY CORN

Chapter 1

(Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Walking Dead TV series or any of the books and I am making nothing from this.)

Daryl watched them both, a white guy and a black chick. There was a time in his life, seemingly a long time ago, the sight of different colors together would make his blood boil. But things had changed drastically and now it was the living and the dead.

The two of them were walking down the dirt road like they were strolling through a park without a care in the world, talking. Softly, yes, but still talking, at least enough that he could hear their voices but not their words. Damned fools were gonna get themselves killed if they weren't careful.

Some of what used to be the most seemingly safest places were now the most dangerous; hospitals, shopping malls, parks, museums and such. They were all death traps where the walkers hunted for the living. That's what he called them, anyway. Walkers.

He'd heard various other descriptions; zombies, wraiths, walking dead, soul suckers. To him Walkers was an apt description because that's what they did. They walked. Although their walk was more like a shuffle, clumsy and disoriented. Many traveled singularly but more often times in herds.

But now that he had made it to the countryside by his wits and hunting skills he learned that the death traps had taken on different names. Strip malls, country stores, open fields, streams, barns, corn fields, open roads and such were now the death traps.

And right behind the strolling couple, out of the withering corn stalks came one, a walker dressed in nothing but bib-overalls, one shoulder strap hooked while the other one hung freely. Must have been a farm hand at one time but now had the white, sunken eyes and gimpy plod of a walker. But this son-of-a-bitch was quiet, having had his throat ripped out at one time he didn't make a sound. Neither of them even knew he was behind them ... but he saw.

And, as if in slow motion, he jumped out of the corn that had been his camouflage and, giving away his position, he raised his crossbow and with deadly accuracy fired, hitting the walker in the head. The only sound was the sound of the body hitting the hard road.

Then, narrowing his eyes, turned the weapon on them and waited, expecting a reaction. If they fired he would defend himself.

"You two need to be more alert," he softly chastised them with his gravely voice.

Diana had been traveling alone for the first couple of weeks. Finding a nice, abandoned farm house, she set up camp. She was making a home. The occasional infected would stumble into her backyard but she would take care of it, doing what this world demanded of her. She had been "content" sleeping in the attic. She was safe. They couldn't release the hatch in the ceiling where she laid hidden. After watching them for a short time she knew what they could and could not do. It had been a learning experience for her. But what they could do had been enough to give her nightmares-but at least she was able to wake up from those dreams and know she was safe for the night.

However just this past week a young man had stumbled into her sights. She had been boiling water over the hearth, something she had never even thought of doing until she found a well about a half mile down the road. Ever vigilant and aware of germs and parasites that could inhabit the life sustaining fluid she tended her sterilizing pot when she saw him moving down the road next to where her house sat.

Prepared to kill him, annoyed that she would have to get her hands dirty once again, when she noticed how human he was. Watching, she contemplated whether or not to reveal her presence to him or just watch and hope he'd pass by. If he entered he abode she'd kill him, after all this was no time to trust strangers. Just the week prior she had been lured by three men, hoping to gain her sympathy and come to their rescue. Knowing women were nurturers they hoped the heart of this woman would help them. Unfortunately for them they had attracted the wrong female. Instead of gaining her trust and thus manipulating the situation to fit their selfish needs she instead escaped and added their faces to a now ever growing list she had never intended to form.

But this man was injured and that's what brought her out. From the way he was limping she knew there was something wrong. The last thing she needed was to do was to spare him now only to be killed by a stronger form of him later. Emerging from the house, gun raised and ready to kill, she aimed for his head. Startled by the woman he stopped and raised his arms above his head. He began to explain who he was but Diana shut him down with a few swear words and a snarl. The less she knew about him the less he would haunt her later but the man kept talking, explaining that he had fallen out of a second story window when he had been chased and that he needed to rest his leg, that he would be indebted to her, blah, blah, blah.

She kept screaming for him to shut up. She needed to kill him. Who would believe his story and why would she help him? Finishing his story after her shouts and protests he told her he was unarmed, wasn't infected and meant no harm. Looking closer at him Diana realized he was just a kid, couldn't be much more than fourteen or fifteen and scared out of his wits. Lowering her weapon she asked for proof was wasn't infected and, after passing the tests, foolishly offered him to come inside. After feeding him a bowl of chicken broth she had found in the cupboard she tended his badly sprained ankle and became more like an injured pet that she had grown attached to.

His name was Justin. He was young. She never asked but by the way he talked and acted she suspected he was much younger than he looked. He spoke respectfully when she asked him things and shut up when she barked for him to be quiet. He thanked her and helped her around the house and his ankle was healing – and he was growing stronger. Diana still wouldn't let him sleep in the safety of the attic, which he never inquired about. She told him to make his own arrangements and so he did. And every morning Justin was alive.

They took strolls every once in awhile, just to scope things out and hide supplies in the fields, in case their base had ever been taken over by anything or anyone. It was the things they could afford to spare and it had all been Justin's idea. Reluctant and cautious, she had wondered if he had a friend out there ready to rob her, but when that never happened she began to think it was a good idea.

On this scorcher of a day they took another lap out. Justin was talking about something Diana didn't find interesting. The boy talked a lot. He had talked his way out of her killing him and sometimes she wondered if he was going to end up talking her way back into killing him. She hated to admit it but the company was nice but sometimes it was overkill. He was going on and on and Diana kept looking forward, nodding every once in awhile hoping he would take the hint and wrap it up, but that didn't work.

Rolling her eyes as he said something about wanting to build a fence she abruptly cut him off.

"Nothing says, 'Someone's home!' like a freshly painted white picket fence," she scolded, shaking her head at his naivety.

"Why not? Don't you think it would make the place look better?" Justin asked. crinkling his nose at her snappy response.

"No it wouldn't, Justin. The last thing I want is for us to be noticed. That's why I'm out here in the countryside, avoiding the populated areas. Think about it, Justin."

Ramming his hands into his pants pockets he sighed, his exuberance deflated, he kicked a rock, sending it flying down the road and gave her a disappointed nod. Keeping her eyes forward she shook her head. You keep feeding a wild animal they won't want to hunt any more.

That's when it happened. The thud of a heavy body hitting the hard earth. Spinning around on her heels, cursing herself for not paying more attention to her surroundings, her hand went instinctively to the back of her waistband where she kept her brother's old M9. However there was an armed man standing a few feet away from them. She stilled one hand behind her back and the other to her side. A survivor? But was that all he was? She dropped her eyes to the dead country bumpkin that had just been taken car of by the stranger. Why? Why save them only to kill them?

"WHOA! DID YOU SEE THAT?!" Justin gleefully shouted as he jumped around excitedly when he saw the walker on the ground behind them. "DID YOU SEE HOW QUICK HE KILLED THAT ZOMBIE?!"

"Shut up!" Diana commanded, and Justin obliged with his own eye roll.

"Thanks for that," she said, nodding in the direction of the fallen. Her eyes locking back on the man with the crossbow and lowered her hands back down to her side. She always hated being in positions of submitting. "You been there long?" she nodded back to the corn that still swayed from the sudden disruption of movement.

How much had he heard? What were his intentions? Her mind raced back to the supplies they had stored out there. Were they still intact? She gritted her teeth as she tried to reveal little concern with the situation.

He watched as the woman moved her arm around her back and he figured she had a weapon there at the ready. She'd be stupid if she wasn't armed in some way. Their eyes met and a mutual albeit silent understanding was conveyed. They were not a threat to each other. The young man was a different story.

He eyed the boy disdainfully as he lowered his crossbow and moved to retrieve his arrow.

"Long enough," he answered her as he pulled the arrow out of the walker's head and wiped it off with some of the corn stalk leaves and turned towards them. "You need to keep a muzzle on your pet," he frowned, looking at the woman as he nodded towards the young man.

"Boy, you keep talkin' as loud as you are you're gonna draw every walker from miles around down on you. You sparked farm boy's interest here. Name's Daryl,"he introduced himself. "Daryl Dixon. Y'all must live around here," he focused his attention on the woman. He had to admit to himself that she was attractive and smart. Smart enough to stay alive as long as she had and the kid had no idea how lucky he was to be under her protection.

"I live up in the mountains north of Atlanta. Had to leave. It ain't safe there. Was trying to head south through the countryside," he explained referring the bulk of his conversation to her. "Where am I, exactly?"

Diana sighed. Justin's youthful ignorance pained her at times. She thought they may appear a unit, and if this survivor was a threat he may think better of taking his chances with two on one. However, Justin made it quite clear early on that they were about a unit of one point five, and that point five was baggage she had to carry. She hissed a hush to him, and then returned her gaze to the recently emerged man. He did look like he was a native to these lands - home grown kind of guy. She herself was city blood, but she knew her heart had always been in the country.

Justin raised his voice heatedly. Diana shot her eyes back to him. Something about a city kid who attends a prestigious university and still uses that country southern drawl irked Diana.

"Keep your mouth quiet or I'll be the one to put you down."

She turned back to man who was introducing himself. She considered him a friendly - for two reasons. He wasn't charging to try to eat, and he hadn't killed her - or more miraculously- Justin. She knew how the Deep South was. They still held grudges against race, and she had to remind herself to be careful when dealing with this. She hadn't run into someone like that yet, but then again she hadn't run into very many living people.

"Guess we're lucky you were and owe you a thank you."

It was as close to showing gratitude as Diana could get. She was one of those keep those extreme feelings to yourself, all of them except for anger, that one it was alright to show. No one ever got weakness from interrupting an angry reaction.

He pulled the arrow out of the head of the country hick, and she refrained from grimacing as he cleaned it off with a corn husk leaf. _Resourceful _Props had to be given. "Diana Cross," she said tucking her hands into her back pant pockets, "This here is Justin Leathers."

It irked her to have to speak on behalf of this boy. She didn't even know how he had survived the initial outbreak with how childish he acted sometimes. Daryl inquired about the house and Diana grew a little anxious. He had just saved them, but only to scout out where they had been staying? She guessed she owed him that much, or Justin would have been the death of her.

"A small farmhouse, up the road a bit," she nodded back into the direction they were heading before this incident. "Haven't had much traffic, the occasional one of these," dropping her gaze down to the dead infected local, "and the occasional one of these," just a nod to demonstrate what she meant. She didn't raise her eyes to meet Justin's snort of either amusement or ire.

"I would have thought the mountains would be safer than down here, but what do ya know in this world anymore?" with a shrug she looked back up to the man she had just met. "We're about fifty miles east of Atlanta in a little farm town called Snellville," she briefly recalled the ride into the town and how all the locals had greeted her. She nearly escaped with her life, but knew her chances were better here than the city. She had a busy first week, making the dead stay dead. There were some of them that escaped her initial attack, and of course problems such as low ammo and fires spreading were things she did not think of in the moment, "There's not much left of Snellville but you're welcome to come back with us. We don't got much right now but we'll make another trip back into the city, sometime." She could hear Justin's whine of protest but he kept the words silent for the most part

"Snellville?" Daryl disgustedly spit out the name like it put a bad taste in his mouth and blew out air as he shook his head and sighed. "Shit! I could have sworn I was further south. You hear anythin' about the southern part of the state? I need to git ta Statesboro real bad." He actually told more than he had planned on doing.

"Ain't there a college there or sumun like that?" Justin asked.

"Yeah,"Daryl nodded, looking off. It was clear he was upset and anxious.

"You mus know somebudy there," Justin spoke.

Daryl nodded. Coming out of the mountains took longer than he had anticipated on foot. As strong as he was, going without a decent meal for several days was beginning to tell on him. The snack bars he had taken from some store kept him going but were not very nutritional.

"Yeah, I do,"he nodded. "Nuthun's the same any more," he replied sadly with another sigh as he looked across the field. The corn that had been planted was as dry and brown as the walkers that haunted his dreams or had chased him down country roads. He had never felt so alone before, not even when he was being beaten by his father in one of his drunken rages.

The thought of what he had to do to his father rose to the surface for a moment but he pushed it back down. His father had been sick in the bed with a fever. The way he drank he was sick quite often. Sick or passed out, that is when he wasn't smacking him or his older brother or his kid sister around. But when he had gone to check on the old lush, he had turned into something else. Something similar to bib-overalls over there. The difference being he used a rifle on his father and his only consolation had been that his sister hadn't been there to see it.

He started to say no. This woman was having enough trouble feeding herself and this wayward waif much less him, but he felt drained and so he nodded.

"Grateful, but let me hunt some game. Least I can do for you," he offered.

The mention of the college town peaked her interest, followed by the urgency he displayed. Justin made a useful connection for once. She ran through her mind what he could be looking for there, well he seemed the protective type, possibly some family, maybe a kid? She didn't think too long about it, why preoccupy herself with someone elses problems in this world.

She had no one, and that seemed to be the easiest way to go. She had just got Justin and already he proved to be more of a problem than assistance. But the tensions were settling, she could feel that, when guards were let down two things could happen. Friendships could form, or someone would get killed. Two very polar opposites which neither she needed. _It'd be nice, to sleep for once. _She considered a grouping of people and just figured the odds of her surviving alone were greater, but look what was forming before her eyes, even if it was a one night thing, this was still about to be a group.

She nodded at his offer; hunting had not been her forte. She hadn't had decent unsalted meat for quite some time, and that seemed like a fair trade, their cover for some protein. "That's might kind of you," she looked over to Justin who was becoming the social butterfly he had been a few minutes prior to their near attack, "Justin should go with you," her eyes locked onto Justin's, silently hinting at their hidden care packages out in the fields, "He could learn a few things from you, I reckon." She turned back to look at the man named Daryl, who had come out of nowhere to save them from their stupid mistake.

She figured that if Justin didn't return with the man, then he was dangerous, and if Justin did, then the man had a high tolerance for blabbering. "I'll boil some water and pull out some supplies," she offered. Glanced at Justin once more, she knew it was only a matter of time before he mentioned it. "We have some transportation, an old truck that runs just fine and powerful enough enough to plow anything that gets in the way. We could help get you to Statesboro, or at least a good part of the way."

Having Justin go with him wasn't on his to-do list but he nodded in agreement. Diana seemed to be in a need to be away from the boy for awhile. How the boy survived as long as he had could be written up to just dumb luck, he guessed. Justin said nothing but looked at her and back at him with a scared, confused look realizing he had no say-so in the matter.

That was a bit of information about the truck he hadn't asked for but she felt trustful enough to share it with him. Letting your guard down that quickly in a world where few could be trusted was an unexpected gem for him. Not that he would take advantage of the situation but, well, every bit of information was a gift not to be squandered.

"Thanks,"was all he replied to her and then turned to the young man. "As long as you do as I say we should be alright," he told him. "You mess up out there it could cost you your life," and he meant that literally. "You stay right behind me. Let's go."

* * *

Entering the woods, stealth was of utmost importance when hunting. The less you made your presence known the better it was for you. And then throw in the fact that walkers were about and were hunting you made a person even more alert, a point Justin had not seemed to get. He loped behind Daryl as though on a school field trip, his head looking upwards towards the trees.

"Oh Look! A woodpecker!" Justin announced as he pointed to the top of a Loblolly Pine.

"Quiet!"Daryl gave him a stern warning as he turned towards him. "Stay close!" Justin frowned and pouted like a child but said nothing in return.

A short while later Daryl saw a rabbit in the undergrowth and stopped, kneeling down to watch and see if he had an aim. The gray bunny had not detected him and instead continued nibbling on a blade of grass. Just as Daryl raise his crossbow to bring down his quarry Justin tripped over him and tumbled head over heels.

"WHOA!" he yelled as he crashed to the ground. Startled, the rabbit scurried away to places unknown. Justin jumped to his feet looking at Daryl with surprise. "Sorry! I didn't see you there," he spoke in too loud decibels.

Daryl bolted to his feet, his face turning scarlet, ready to bawl him out when he saw something that turned his face a light ashen. "Get down!"he motioned as he went down to his knees once again.

Puzzled Justin frowned but then heard the moan of a walker approaching. A lone male had come out of the edge of the woods and into a clearing but had not seen, heard or sensed him or Daryl. Diving for the undergrowth and holding his breath he watched as Daryl, with a look that scared him, readjusted the arrow that had been meant for the rabbit and aimed it at the walker. Raising up Daryl aimed and hit the walker in the head. Justin could hear the body fall.

Thinking it was safe now he jumped up and rushed over to the arrow pierced walker and looked down at the rotting flesh that once was a face. Bending over he was bout to speak when another walker grabbed him, the gnashing teeth trying to bite his neck. The two crashed to the ground as Justin fought to keep the once living male from biting him. The tip of a knife blade came out of the walker's head just inches from Justin's and it collapsed but was quickly pulled off by Daryl.

Daryl pulled his knife out of the head and moved over to retrieve his arrow from the other head. Reaching out to pull Justin to his feet he looked at him face to face, seasoned hunter to foolish kid.

"I said stay behind me! Next time I'll let 'em feast. Got it now?" Daryl growled angrily at him with his deep voice.

"Ye-Yes sir," was all Justin could muster, his eyes wide with shock and awe. The lesson now learned Justin realized how close he was to dying.

* * *

An hour and a half later the two walked back sporting two field dressed rabbits and three quail. They would have protein for supper that night and Justin had a new appreciation for hunting and survival in the woods.

Diana walked back to the farmhouse alone, the peeling white paint and lack of care over the years gave it that "walk by it's empty" feel. She stepped up the porch stairs, they creaked under her light weight. If she held the rail while walking up she was sure to get a palm full of splinters. She pushed the front door open- which lacked a dead bolt. She figured out here, in a town where everyone knew everyone, and neighbors were a mile apart, the thought of locking up the house when everyone went to sleep wasn't ever brought to any one's attention.

She remembered an evening she went to go sleep at her mother's house. It must have been Christmas for that was the only time she ever really went home. She had forgotten to lock up her apartment and when she returned two days later, her home was ransacked, she called the police but they just shrugged off the petty crime. Probably thought her boyfriend got mad at her and she just didn't want to admit it. She would have killed who ever did it. Everything nice she had ever worked for in her life was gone over the span of two days. She would have liked to have those things now, she would carry them with her. They reminded her of a time where she was happy, and when hard work paid off. Now hard work paid off with every breath you took. She was still getting used to that pay off.

She entered the house and first took in the silence. She was a cautious woman, one who lived this long because she didn't trust anything- including her initial instincts. She lurked about a bit, seeing if any strays had found their way inside, and concluded everything was as she left it, and anything dead would have revealed itself immediately. Coast was clear, she raced upstairs, and climbed into the attic where she had been staking out.

Diana pulled out some plastic grocery bags that had snacks and bags of rice that just needed to be boiled, she brought it downstairs with her, but first she resealed the attic, that was her place, her safe place, the less people noticed it the safer it would remain. She went out to the well out back- in the city she had never even seen a well, but out here there were quite a few, and she hoisted up some water, it's murky color made her nervous, which is why she never risked drinking from it, she would boil it and have some warm food for when the men returned. She had to laugh a little, she never thought she would be making food for a man… and a boy.

She was in the kitchen reading by the sunlight when she heard them approaching, well more of Justin talking fast and loud. She hoped off the counter, and walked back to the black cauldron that was hoisted over a small fire she had started that morning. The water was boiling, and the rice looked soft and strangely appetizing. She gave it a stir, and then walked to the front door to get a better look. Gun still tucked aside, and easily accessible. It was her nature, and the nature of this world. But what she saw was the two males coming up the drive with meat. Both alive and unscathed. She opened the door happily. Food was strength and energy, and with strength and energy they would survive longer, and live better. Well, look at that," she nodded.

If there was one thing Daryl had become proficient at it was roasting rabbit. If the three weeks he had spent hiding on the Oconee at a bend in the river him and his brother called Dixon's Corner after the insanity started had taught him anything it was how to correctly roast a rabbit. The quail were not much different except you had to pluck all the feathers off instead of skinning it.

Justin was out back with him watching intently and helping when he could, asking a few questions now and then. He was amazed how quickly Daryl started a fire using one match and how he kept the fire low to not make too much smoke and not draw attention.

"Will you teach me how to shoot a crossbow, Mr. Daryl?" the wide-eyed boy asked hopefully.

Daryl smirked, more at the fact that this lean young man could be so polite, but also in the fact that he wanted to emulate him.

"I only have so many arrows, Justin. Can't afford to waste not one of them. Might be better if you learned to shoot or use some other kind of weapon.

"Oh please, Mr. Daryl. I want to help protect Diana and hunt for food. Please!" he begged. "I'll fetch any arrows that get shot. Please!" Justin was determined to learn.

Daryl looked at Diana with a smirk and then back to Justin. "After we eat I'll let you try a few shots," Daryl finally agreed. Is this what having a child was like?

* * *

Shortly the rabbits and quail were done so Daryl brought them inside on a platter and set it on table."The rice smealls good," he told Diana and, after him and Justin washed up with some of the water Diana had boiled, they sat down to eat.

Daryl, after leaning his crossbow against the nearest wall, looked at Diana and gave her a small grin. She had been nice enough to allow him to stay he hoped maybe these two would become fast friends. He waited for Diana to start.

Diana watched the two guys interact, it was strangely... heart warming? To see the fellas bond over something like today happening. This house was seeing life, something that had been lacking for quite some time. She watched the guys converse and leaned against the counter as they washed up. Seeing Justin act like a school girl was amusing when he was usually acting like a complete macho case to her. It gave her a greater appreciation for the boy that was underneath the manly facade that he hadn't grown into yet.

Diana rose an eyebrow at Justin's offer to protect her, it was amusing, but she would let him have his moment. She smiled as she watched the excitement in Justin's eyes as Daryl agreed. She rose her own eye brows in surprise, and couldn't help but let the smile shine through. A little human contact went a long way. And while they sat about to have dinner in a house with now power, and while walking corpses were constantly a threat to their safety they were able to have a nice sit down meal together, like three friends, who almost resembled a family. An odd family, but a family none the less. She smiled over to Daryl, and mouthed the words _thank you, _as she lifted her fork and scooped up some rice. It was warm and tasted fresh. The rabbit was delicious. When she leaned back and was done eating she felt full and content for the first time in weeks. Much better than being curled up in a ball eating Funions, and jerky.

She looked around the table. "Well boys," her smile broad as she stood and picked up her plate. "Let's toss these dishes in the sink and see if Daryl can do the impossible … teach Justin how to aim." Looking at Justin with a glint in her eye he protested as he stood, but he still wore the excited grin. "Or, how about you tell Daryl about how you hurt your leg,"cshe rose an eye brow as Justin flushed, the grin never leaving his face. The atmosphere was lovely, and nothing seemed to ruin it.

Daryl looked from Diana to Justin and back with a curious look on his face, wanting to hear more of the story.

"Oh yeah?" he questioned them both with a small chuckle. This had to be good.

"He jumped out a window and aimed for the pile of mhay underneath it … instead he was about four or five feet off," she smirked with a nod. Justin rolled his eyes and set his plate on top of Diana's.

"I shoulda just told you that I was born with a limp," he said with a single head shake.

Diana laughed and looked back over to Daryl. She might have killed Justin today. It might have been the day where he finally pushed her buttons and she would have snapped, leaving her alone in this world. It was funny how much more tolerable he was when there was a guest in the house. The sun wasn't quite setting yet. She guess they had about forty minutes left of daylight. The real daylight, not a sunset lit terrain. She lead the way to the front door and opened it, letting the warm air into the musty house. While she was home and could make sure no unwanted people crawled in she would leave the door open and let some country air in. Not allow the smell of country ghosts to linger in these walls forever.

This was nice. Almost like being home again. Almost. Except his father wasn't smacking him around or screaming in a drunken rage. He threatened to kill him when he caught the bastard trying to rape his own daughter. Daryl beat him that day and took off with Claire to a special place he knew by the Oconee River. And when his father had turned into one of those things he felt no guilt blowing its head off. That was the end of the nightmare he had lived with his older brother, Meryl, and their kid sister.

He did everything he knew to do to get her out of that place but when she told him she wanted to go to college in Statesboro it gave Daryl all the incentive he needed to save some of his money he earned working at the motorcycle shop and send her to the southern part of the state and away from the abuse they all had suffered.

And now here he was sitting at a kitchen table having a hot meal with some 16 year old kid named Justin and a beautiful black lady named Diana. It was like a scene from Better Homes and Gardens except the home was an old abandoned farmhouse that had once seen better days and the garden was a drying up corn field. But the warmth was there with his newly found friends.

_... thank you … _Diana had mouthed the words to him and he couldn't help but to smile. She was actually a gracious and warm person who, like the rest of the surviving world, had been thrust into a living nightmare not of their choosing.

Finished now he leaned back and listened to Diana tease Justin's former clumsiness and teenaged attempt to impress her. These stories struck a cord with him. Memories of him and his brother doing such idiotic stunts to prove their manhood or impress a girl. Justin's biggest problem was he was a kid thrust into the same nightmare.

Getting up from the table he reached down and, picking up his weapon, strolled across the barren front room as though it was his own and he was king, and headed for the front door.

"Alright!" Justin jumped up excitedly, matching Daryl's stride for stride. "Com'on, Diana!" he waved for her to follow. She had become a kind of surrogate mother to him and now he was looking at Daryl as a kind of father figure.

* * *

On the porch there were two rocking chairs that were old and splintery but strong enough to bear a person's weight."Nope!" he corrected Justin as he started to sit in the other rocking chair. "You let the lady of the house sit there. You can sit on the steps."

"Yes sir," Justin replied and obeyed without question.

Leaning back in the rocker Daryl laid the crossbow next to him within easy reach and pulled out a cigarette. Using a match he lit it up and pulled the smoke into his lungs and leaned back enjoying the late evening sun on his face as he blew the smoke out. The only sound was the rustle of corn leaves as the breeze played with them and the distant sound of crows protesting something.

Whoever had once owned this place had a pretty good lay out. A nice big barn across the way, a big live oak tree close to the house that helped provide shade and a huge water oak tree by the distant barn. There were the remains of what once had been a chicken coop and a good sized pig sty with acre after acre of corn planted.

Diana smiled as Daryl reserved the seat for her. She took it and watched Justin bounce down the steps, taking his own seat. The silence was nice, but it wasn't a true silence. There were lots of noises around them, good old fashioned country noises. Crickets, and the breeze were some of Diana's favorite things, the leaves wavering in the evening air was soothing. She rocked a bit, moving herself with a simple movement of her own ankles.

"Where you from, Diana?" he asked her. "And where was you headed when you found this place?"

She turned to Daryl when he spoke, and thought about it as she looked down to the back of Justin's head. His light, messy hair was soon to be matted if he didn't get it cut soon. Her story? No, that wasn't what he was asking. She had left that behind when the world went to hell. She left that life behind and that was the only reason she was able to live with herself. She'd been suppressing the incident for years. She was so young to have emotions fly so high like that… she shivered as she thought of the pool of blood spreading from his kneeling body onto her mother's rug. She stepped back as it crept closer to her- that was after he fell of course. After he had told her he loved her. After she didn't say a thing back.

"Atlanta, that's where I was from," she bit the corner of her lip as she stared out into the fields, "After being in the city during those first couple of hours – it was enough to tell me that wasn't the place to wait this out."

Justin looked back to them, watching her speak, funny how good of a listener he became when Daryl got here. He had hardly inquired anything about her, just talked a whole lot about himself. She was surprised she remembered everything so vividly- she'd been trying pretty hard to suppress it. "Just started heading East, hitting small towns for supplies, I was eventually going to head to the coast, hoped there may be life out there." she shrugged looking back to Daryl, "I holed up here for a couple of days, and I began to trust the location- until this kid was walking out in the open. Maybe when he heals, we'll try to coast," she was musing really, the words coming out of her mouth were really more dreams than actual plans. She couldn't plan past the next couple of day, who knew if they would still be alive?

"What about you," she leaned her head on the back of the wooden rocker, turning to the direction of their new found friend, "How'd you end up in those corn stalks?"

He could sense that there was real pain in her as she talked, or rather summarized, a part of her life and he understood her completely. He, too, was a victim of old pain, ancient emotional scars to match the physical ones.

"I'm heading to Statesboro to get my kid sister. She's in college down there when whatever happened happened," he looked up for a moment and then back at Diana, "I tried to call her but the whole system seems to be down. About three miles from here I came across some kind of gang and they tried to run me down in a car. I'm guessing they wanted what supplies I was carrying.

"That's when I hid in the cornfield. They kept driving up and down the highway and that's when I saw you two. I'm guessing they don't know about this place yet but they will. It's only a matter of time before they find the road you were walking on,"he told Diana.

"I got a target set up, Daryl," Justin interrupted as he ran from the side of the house, a look of anticipation on his face. "You could teach me to shoot your crossbow now," he grinned up at him.

Knowing what he did about the gang and the possibility of other rotters paying a visit. Daryl looked at Diana and laughed. It was almost like a son asking permission to borrow the car.

"Alright," he reached down and picked his crossbow up. "You're welcome to watch. It could be interesting," he said to Diana, a grin on his face.

* * *

Justin had a nice target site up facing away from the house and set into the corn field. Where he had found the small bales of hay and the red, white and blue circle target was anyone's guess.

"Okay, this is how you do it," Daryl showed the young man how to pull the bow and set the arrow securely. Then, raising the bow, he aimed and pulled the trigger, nearly hitting the center of the target but he was satisfied.

"Now, you try. But be careful. I only have so many arrows so, if you miss, you'll have to retrieve them."

"Okay, Daryl. I'll be careful," Justin promised.

Doing just as Daryl explained Justin shot the first arrow but it whizzed past the target. Daryl laughed and looked over at Diana, hoping she was enjoying watching this as much as he was. Again Justin loaded the crossbow and shot, only this time hitting the target twice. Daryl sent him to retrieve the arrows which he did with no problem. Over and over Justin aimed and shot then retrieved the arrows. He was actually getting better.

It was starting to get dark so Daryl told him one last time and Justin reluctantly agreed. This time he only missed once. Daryl sent him to retrieve one last time.

"He's getting good,"he told Diana with a smile.

Just as he was speaking Justin began screaming for help. Daryl ran into the cornfield but it was too late. A walker had him biting his throat. With crossbow in hand he shot the rotting thing in the head and reached for Justin. Justin looked up at him, terror in his eyes and his mouth full of blood. Gargling he died in Daryl's arms.

Her jaw tightened at the mention of a gang. One looking for supplies none the less, she dropped her eyes lower to the beam that surrounded the porch. It wouldn't be safe for much longer. He was right. She shook her head shortly. She didn't want to seem like this was bugging her, but it sure the hell would when they came banging down her door. She didn't admit it, but this was her home, she had made it that way and was foolish enough to get attached to the place, to Justin, hell she was sure given a few more hours and she would be attached to Daryl.

_That's not what this world is anymore, _she reminded herself, _you can't have relationships, or happiness, you can never be safe._

"_A sister," _she nodded understanding the urgency of the matter. He needed to get to her just like she would if she had anyone left, she made a silent oath to help him if she could. There was that truck. It was sturdy, and parked out back. It could easily knock down the infected, but this gang in a car, she was sure their vehicle was more reliable than theirs.

Justin came running back and saved Diana from further explanation of her silenced state. Placed her fist to her mouth as she thought about anyway she could stay here - they could stay here. There wasn't she knew it. But she hated the thought of relocating and being on the run again. Daryl's laugh brought her back to the real world, back to the now. The gang of scavengers weren't breathing down her neck just yet, She was enjoying a sunset in the peace of her home, and with two new friends. This world had her all messed up.

She had to smile when the arrow missed. She laughed as Daryl looked back to her, kind eyes shared the loving joke.

_He's getting good, _Daryl commented, and she laughed again, she relaxed her body and watched as Justin ran off to get the arrow. It was getting dark and with the darkness came a great vulnerability. She was glad they were wrapping it up before she had to suggest it. That was when the sound she had hoped to never hear - unless it came from her own hands - filled the dusk. She was like mother lioness in pursuit of the lost cub. She was up and off the porch so fast she would have lost balance if instinct wasn't taking over. Guiding every footstep. She was through the boundary when she saw the monster fall and Justin seeming to fall into Daryl arms.

She felt an uneasy cool steady through her, the boy's face contorted in fear and pain, but still, his brown eyes looking a little to Diana's right, _I wasn't even the last person he saw _She stood stiff for a moment, remembering a lifetime ago when a dead boy had stared into her eyes as he bled out. It was probably best Justin hadn't - she still had nightmares from all those years ago. Once she was able to swallow, she knelt beside his body, falling to the ground. Her steady hands held his face as she looked down to it. Tears were coming now, not sobs, just silent streams. Her lip snarled a bit as she looked over to the dead hick with an arrow in it's head. She would have liked to do the deed herself, but it was done, and she was sure there would be more to come and take this out on.

She brushed his damp hair out of his face but didn't dare close his eyes, She couldn't bring herself to that. She wiped a wet cheek with the back of a dirty hand. "Shit!" was all she was able to slur out, and that was when the mild sobs followed. Her body shook but her hands stayed steady. She closed her eyes as she suffered this loss. _Open your eyes, _she scolded herself, the cautious Diana was infuriated by this act, but she didn't care. Let them get her too. No one was safe. No one was ever safe.

Knowing what he knew about the plague he had to do one last thing to ensure Justin didn't turn. Picking up his crossbow he loaded one of the arrows that Justin had retrieved and, wiping away a tear and holding his breath, he fired it into Justin's head. Looking at the young man laying dead on the ground he thought of his father. He had no qualms or regrets when he had to put a bullet into the thing that had once been his father. Not only was it to keep the old reprobate from attacking him, it was keeping the bastard from exacting his last act of abuse.

But seeing Justin there it broke his heart. Justin was just a kid who, by hook or by crook, managed somehow to stay alive and make friends with Diana who, despite her feeling of frustration and impatience with the boy, had somehow touched a place in the woman's heart and saw her as a kind of maternal figure. And despite having no children of his own, Daryl began to see him as a kind of son and Diana as a kind of mate. The three of them formed a kind of bond, a kind of family, and he began to feel that he would be their protector.

But now it was just him and Diana.

* * *

If he left the boy's body out here it was bound to draw another one of those putrid things and the last thing he wanted to do was draw any more. Closing Justin's eyes he moved both arms so they crossed the body and picked him up in his arms. Daryl was shocked at how light the young man was.

"You got any sheets? Blankets? Anything we could wrap him in?" he asked Diana. "We could put him in another room and I'll bury him in the morning."

Before she could answer he moved towards the house. It was in the twilight of the evening, the quiet place between day and night when the sun's rays colored the horizon and the clouds shades of peaches and corals as the earth cooled and the chirping of the birds was replaced by the singing of crickets.

Damn, what a day it had been.


End file.
